The Nd3+-doped Silicon Rich Silicon Oxide (SRSO) layers were elaborated by reactive magnetron cosputtering.
We report on refractive index measurements of Nd3+-doped SRSO layers obtained by both m-lines method
and reflectance spectroscopy. From these measurements, the Si volume fraction and also the Nd3+-doped SRSO index
dispersion were deduced by using the Bruggeman model. At 1.06 μm, work wavelength, Nd3+-doped SRSO refractive
index was equal to 1.543 corresponding to a Si volume fraction of 6.5%.
Optical losses measurements were performed on these waveguides at different wavelengths and were about 0.3 dB/cm at
1.55 μm and 1 dB/cm at 1.06 μm. Measurements are confirmed by theoretical models showing that the losses are
essentially attributed to surface scattering.
Guided fluorescence by top pumping at 488 nm on planar waveguides was studied as a function of the distance
between the excitation area and the output of the waveguide and also as a function of the pump power. The guided
fluorescence at 945 and 1100 nm was observed until 4mm of the output of the waveguide and, of course, decreased when
the excitation area moved away from the output. The fluorescence intensity increased linearly for low pump power and
this linear increasing of the guided fluorescence of Nd3+ excited by a non resonant excitation at 488 nm confirms the
strong coupling between the Si- nanoparticles and rare earth ions.